TAP - Tapachula 136.34 Km from the center of CHICHICASTENANGO - International airport

CJT - Copalar 169.75 Km from the center of CHICHICASTENANGO - International airport

SZT - San Cristobal de las Casas 247.21 Km from the center of CHICHICASTENANGO - International airport

General information about CHICHICASTENANGO

Chichicastenango, also known as Santo Tomás Chichicastenango, is a town in the El Quiché department of Guatemala, known for its traditional K'iche' Maya culture. The Spanish conquistadors gave the town its name from the Nahuatl name used by their soldiers from Tlaxcala: Tzitzicaztenanco, or City of Nettles. Its original name was Chaviar.

Chichicastenango serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name.

Chichicastenango is a large indigenous town, lying on the crests of mountaintops at an altitude of 1,965 m (6,447 ft). It is located about 140 km (87 mi) northwest of Guatemala City.

Source: wikipedia

Turismo

Every Thursday and Sunday for more than 100 years, Chichicastenango, dubbed "Chichi" for short, blooms with nearly 300 Maya vendors from all parts of the country. Twisting mountain roads lead to Chichi through hamlets where fat pigs and feathery turkeys stand in the front yards of tin-roofed homes. Arrive by Wednesday night to roam the streets, observing the men hammering away at the maze of wooden stalls for tomorrow's market. The aromas of grilled chicken, fried potatoes, and sweet plantains permeate the air, punctuated by the quick slapping sound of women flattening tortillas between their palms.
On market days the town fills with people. Serious shoppers, including buyers for big department stores, flock to Chichi to purchase hand-woven floral wall hangings, embroidered tablecloths, area rugs, placemats, and carry-on bags, many of which journey stateside, where they sell for five to ten times the local price.
Not for everyone, Chichi appeals to those who get an adrenaline rush from bargaining and pushing through hordes. Women with stacks of woven tablecloths balanced on their heads elbow through shoppers and trios of little girls shove fistfuls of beaded necklaces toward tourists. Vendors stand in front of their stalls, beckoning and calling to browsers. Leave a booth and you may be followed by groups of women traditionally dressed in huipiles, embroidered tunics, unfurling more table runners, scarves, or wall hangings, shouting, "Buy from me, lady, buy from me."
Chichi's market appeals to locals too, as Maya women sell live chickens out of burlap bags and measure out sackfuls of black, white, and yellow corn. On Sunday, the cofradías (religious brotherhoods) lead processions through the streets.
Morerías, ceremonial mask workshops, also attract attention to this Guatemalan city. Colorful wooden masks line the walls of the workshop area, where you might get the chance to meet a carver and watch him patiently whittle the intricate details of a mask for a ceremonial dance.
The hill overlooking Chichi marks an important religious location. Every so often, at the summit, a weathered-faced shaman lights candles on an altar and kneels in front of Pascual Abaj, a blackened rock and the only shrine in all of Guatemala to the Mayan Earth god. Supplicants typically bring chocolate, sugar, and pastries as an offering to the god. The gray smoke of incense floats in front of the praying shaman, creating a vision of other-worldliness.
Tip: Because the mountain roads leading to Chichi are winding and often in rough condition, it's best to hire a car and driver or go with a reputable tour company.

Source: http://away.com/

Gastronomia

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Source: vipservicesinternational

Clima

In Chichicastenango, the climate is warm and temperate. In winter there is much less rainfall in Chichicastenango than in summer. According to Köppen and Geiger climate is classified as Cwb. The average annual temperature in Chichicastenango is 16.5 °C. About 1095 mm of precipitation falls annually.

Source: climate-data.org

6 places to visit and where to go in: CHICHICASTENANGOand within 25 Km